


How the Mighty Fall

by orphan_account



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Angst, Brothers, Brothers Germany & Prussia (Hetalia), Creative License, Dark, England just wants a break, Historical Hetalia, Historical References, Hurt/Comfort, Magic, More ships to be added, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, World War II, ancient magic is not for messing with, but i tried, not always historical, unintended consequences of many things, will be updated whenever a chapter is written
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:28:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23754616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: 1930s-40s.Germany has always been one for following the rules. He could take orders, fight for his country. But when the safety of his country is threatened, when he meets a Nation not quite like any he has met before, will he be willing to go against what he has known?Prussia doesn't want to fade. He's worried for his brother and about what's happening in his country and he doesn't know what to do about it. In the forests of the north, an ancient magic is stirring and he hopes that it might give him some answers.England. Former pirate, former empire, former quite a lot of things. He's loosing hope, wary of another war and has hundreds of years of pent up feelings to work through. His brothers and his government are driving him mad, and he's starting to wonder what good comes of playing by the rules.
Relationships: America & Canada (Hetalia), America & England (Hetalia), Austria/Hungary (Hetalia), England/France (Hetalia), Germany & Prussia (Hetalia), Germany/North Italy (Hetalia)
Kudos: 13





	How the Mighty Fall

**Author's Note:**

> More characters will be added later when more research is done, because I try my best. The same also applies to ships because I have too many and too little time. There will be three main storylines that will tie together at some point - each covered in alternating chapters. Any feedback is more than welcome :)  
> Sidenote: I edited this on my phone so I blame autocorrect for everything. Also I haven't written in a while so I may be a little rusty.

The Nations were powerless against the wills of their governments. Germany knew that. Germany had always known that. It was drummed in to him from a young age: you may well be the personification of your people, your country, but first and foremost you are under the directives of the ruler of your lands. And that's the way it was. He had had no problem with accepting that. Germany would fight in his country's wars without a complaint - being almost immortal tended to make battle less risky than it otherwise would be, and besides, without his country Germany would fade. From what he'd seen of Prussia over the past few years, it wasn't a process he fancied going through. And so he fought with a quiet complacency, safe in the knowledge that as long as he followed orders he would be helping his country as much as he could.

Until now. 

Germany was thankful that his early years had been relatively free of any significant revolution. Barring the times in his youth when he'd been less of a country and more of a collection of states that occasionally fought against each other by the whims of other nations, the years after unification had been were, in general, not to bad. Prussia was always hanging around in one place or another, occasionally vanishing off for weeks at a time but he'd always returned. 

Whilst the Great War had been far from comfortable (all of the Nations had suffered too some extend or another during it - your people dying in their hordes tended to have that affect) the years of turmoil between his people that followed affected him in a different way. It was almost as if his body was fighting against itself, twisting and pulling his flesh in opposing directions until Germany could scream. Yet what could he do but continue on? He stood by the government through the years following the war, although he could do nothing but watch as his people were separated by new borders, as they struggled to feed themselves and their families, as their frustration grew. He didn't blame the other countries for the treaty (alright, maybe he did just a little bit), but they'd all suffered and people just wanted to believe that it wasn't all for nothing. Germany hoped that at some point it would work out alright, that his country could grow again and they could put the past behind them. It was a naïve hope. 

Instead the tension built to a climax. His people needed a strong leader who banded them together, and one came. The leader who emerged from that, however, was someone that chilled Germany to the bone. From what should have been a relief at the apparent upturn in circumstances for his people came instead the knowledge of a growing darkness that threatetened to break him apart, to shatter him into a thousand pieces. He could feel his people's hope, yes, but he could also feel their fear. Even when he knew what their policies were, knew what they were willing to do, he couldn't help but hope that the Nazis wouldn't make it to power. But then, they did. 

Little did he know that it would only get worse. And worse it did get. Germany had stood by and watched on that day in May as the books were burnt, the flickering flames reaching out into the sky, desperate for something more to catch hold of, to erase, to burn. This is when he should have realised. Should have known what was to come to his country. His brother had known. Prussia had stood beside him that night, watching pages crumble, words reduced to ashes. He'd been able to feel Prussia's anger, bubbling just beneath his skin and threatening to make the elder brother do something ill-advised. Germany just hadn't wanted to think about it. What could he do? He was just a puppet moved from place to place by the government. Really, what could he do? Afterwards, as they'd been walking back towards the apartments granted to them by the state, Prussia had dragged him off the street and into an alleyway, temporarily out of the sight of any officials sent to watch over them. That was something that Germany was thankful for. At least if he was going to get an earful from Prussia, they wouldn't have the officials breathing down their necks, writing down their words. 

The single lamp that lit up the alleyway flickered, sending shadows dancing into the space that the light had once occupied. Germany couldn't help but shiver. 

They had stood there in silence for a short while, both listening out for any sign for any person potentially within earshot. Satisfied that there were few enough people around for them to speak with relative freedom, Germany crossed his arms and moved to lean against the rough stretch of brick wall opposite his brother. He wasn't going to be the one to break the silence first, yet despite the circumstances and the narrow look Prussia was giving him, Germany found himself somewhat relived with his brother's presence. Prussia didn't look too worse for wear, his silver hair still sticking up somewhat haphazardly and his shirtsleeves rolled up to his elbows despite the cool night air. If he ignored the night's events, he could almost imagine that he was just a kid again, stumbling around with a too-large sword and grumbling when Prussia teased him. But that time was long gone. 

"What they did back there wasn't right, and you know it. I'll bet that you also know that it's only going to get worse." Is what Prussia had said. Germany had shrugged, avoiding meeting his brother's eyes. Prussia huffed, his usually careless mood replaced by a focused agitation that grated against Germany. Why couldn't his brother see that no matter how wrong it was, they couldn't do a thing? Ignoring Germany's apparent disinterest, Prussia pressed on, lowering his voice to a harsh whisper. 

"Whatever happens to your country will have an impact on you. You know that. I know that, probably more than you. I don't want to see you hurt, Brother. I am going to try and stop them, whether you are by my side or not." 

Germany stared at the wall over Prussia's head, noticing with a quiet detachment that he had grown taller than his older brother. When had that happened? He could have sworn that at their last meeting Prussia had towered over him. How the times change. 

"I know. I care for my people, just as you care for yours. Yet I do not see what good fighting against the very thing that controls us will do." The coldness in Germany's voice surprised even himself, and he almost muttered an apology afterwards. Prussia sighed sharply, biting down on his lip in an apparent attempt to stop himself from cursing at Germany, turning away to face out into the street when Germany tried to speak again. 

"Go back to your government. Time will tell that I was right. Just...try to stay safe. Keep your guard up." 

Germany almost grabbed for his brother, overtaken by a childish need for Prussia to hug him and tell him that everything would be alright. But he didn't. Instead he too turned away to face out into the street, staring out at the line of storefronts and houses. The coolness of the night air struck him all of a sudden, and really Germany just wanted to be inside and away from all of this, away from other people's voices and other people's words and fears that reflected his own all too much. Germany didn't want to let himself be afraid. Couldn't let himself be afraid. So is that why he stepped away to leave, turning back only for a split second to meet his brother's eyes?

"I'll see you in the morning then?" Was all Germany could bring himself to say. Even then the words stuck in his throat, but his voice didn't betray him. 

"Yes, I'll see you in the morning." Was the echoed reply. 

Germany didn't want to have to think, but he couldn't face drinking alone. Besides, he'd been out for too long already. There was no use in bringing suspicion upon himself. The air still smelt of smoke as he walked the quiet streets, even though the fires must have gone out a while ago. Or maybe they hadn't, and people would continue to destroy their own speech until the night overtook them and they tumbled into a dreamless sleep. Germany didn't want to care, but he did. So he walked back to the apartments, nodded at the officials standing guard by the door, put up with their blunt questions for five minutes before excusing himself with a headache and retreated to his room. He didn't sleep. Instead he watched as the candle flame flickered hypnotically and bathed the room in a soft glow. Call him old-fashioned, but he'd take a candle over a lightbulb any day. At least candles didn't shatter when you dropped them. 

At some point he must have fallen asleep, because when he opened his eyes next the candle had burnt itself out and his room was pitch dark. Germany had never liked the dark, but tonight, he didn't mind it so much. There would be darker nights ahead, but for now he was content to lie in silence, waiting for something that he couldn't name.

**Author's Note:**

> To be continued. Probably at the weekend because I have many many essays to write™


End file.
